The four of them argued and discussed things together, comforting each other in the sweltering summer of this strange world, and their days were quite interesting.
After the end of June, the forest enters its most abundant season for food.
Raspberries of all colors, some sour, some sweet, some astringent, each variety has a unique flavor. In addition to raspberries, wild apricots are also in season.
Yan Jing'an and Du Ling picked basket after basket of fruit from the forest.
Jiang Xi thought that the raspberry seedlings that the two of them had brought back from the woods would not be available to eat this year, but to her surprise, the raspberry seedlings recovered in less than a month and began to bud and bear fruit.
The raspberries planted around the yard need to be harvested every two or three days. Otherwise, if the birds target them, not only will it be a waste, but the whole village will be filled with the chirping of birds, and there will be no peace at all times.
Jiang Xi picked out the larger raspberries and apricots to dry into dried fruit, and the smaller ones to make jam with syrup and store.
These days, life gets busy, and I don't have the energy to make breakfast in the mornings. Most of the time, I just make one or two side dishes, or a few cold tomato salads, and a few of us grab a sweet potato with jam for a quick bite before we all get busy.
The tomatoes and cucumbers are ripe. Because there is plenty of water in the yard, the fruits and vegetables grow much better than in the field. In addition, with plenty of fertilizer, fist-sized tomatoes are sprouting one after another.
Anyone could pick a couple back then. There were no chemical fertilizers, no pesticides, so people didn't care much about the process. They didn't even need to wash them; they could just wipe them on their clothes and eat them directly.
On the first day of July, Jiang Xi got up very early.
After a short workout, she picked a tomato and started eating it; the slightly cool tomato juice relieved the heat after exercise.
Yan Zheng was already making breakfast in the kitchen. Jiang Xi walked to the drying rack, turned over the dried apricots and hawthorns, and then did the same with the dried ferns and dried radish greens.
The wild apricot tree they brought back earlier lost all its leaves and fruit within two days of planting because it was too late. It only recently sprouted new buds, so they definitely won't be able to eat any this year.
After tidying up, Jiang Xi mysteriously pulled out a few red things from deep inside the basket.
It was the same few chili pepper plants they had found earlier. However, being in the wild, despite her efforts to weed and fertilize them, each plant only produced twenty or thirty small chili peppers.
Jiang Xi carefully picked the chilies and laid them out to dry. Now they were dried chilies. She took a small pair of scissors, brought out a clean bowl, cut open the tops of the chilies, and poured out the chili seeds.
The chili pepper skins can be used in cooking, and the seeds can be stored for planting next year.
She raised her hand to test the wind force for the day, and it felt just right. She then put the chili seeds she had cut out in the sun to dry for a while to prevent them from getting moldy again.
Next, use scissors to cut the chili pepper skin into sections.
They haven't eaten this year's chili peppers yet. They were just harvested and she specially dried and stored them until now, so today is the first time they've eaten them.
Because today is a very special day.
Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an's 26th birthday.
She plans to make a hot pot and a Sichuan specialty, twice-cooked pork.
Jiang Xi thought to herself that she didn't know how spicy the chili was, so she stuck out the tip of her tongue and lightly licked the chili, even smacking her lips twice.
The next moment, she jumped up suddenly, stuck out her tongue, fanned herself and gasped for breath, her whole face turning red.
She was so overwhelmed by the spiciness that she remembered what she had learned before: the first chili pepper variety to enter the Central Plains was Qin pepper, a type of small red chili pepper, so it was naturally very spicy.
Yan Zheng came out of the kitchen and saw this scene. He noticed that she was holding a chili pepper in her hand and realized what was going on. He was both amused and exasperated, so he quickly poured her a cup of cold tea from the kitchen.
Jiang Xi took it and gulped down two mouthfuls before she felt a little better.
Yan Zheng said, "How stupid! Who would lick it with their tongue? If it were a ghost pepper, you'd be in pain for half the day."
Jiang Xi, still feeling the heat of her words, slurred, "Um, I just want to try it out."
Yan Zheng poured her another glass: "Now you know, it's spicy enough, isn't it?"
Jiang Xi nodded with tears in her eyes.
I originally planned to use all these chilies, but now I dare not.
That's good, these dozens of chili peppers will be enough for them to eat for several months.
Seeing that she had calmed down for a while, Yan Zheng said, "We're going hunting by the river today. I'll cook two dishes later. You can prepare the bow and arrows and the basket."
It was obvious that he had forgotten the date, but that was normal. Since they came to the forest, Jiang Xi had been keeping track of the time, and Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an would ask her whenever they forgot the time.
Jiang Xi chuckled to herself and said seriously, "I can't go today. There's still a lot of work to be done in the fields. Some of the tomatoes are already quite red, and I need to pick them and dry them into tomato chips."
As she spoke, she gestured towards the vegetable patch, indicating that he should go and see for himself.
Yan Zheng didn't care about these things, thinking she simply didn't want to go, so he nodded and said, "Okay, then you can pack at home. I'll try to come back as early as possible this afternoon."
Jiang Xi quickly moved closer and said pitifully, "I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs. Could you keep an eye out and see if you can catch a small pig?"
Yan Zheng had no choice but to pat her head and say, "Fine, you glutton," before turning and going into the kitchen.
Jiang Xi felt the spiciness return and quickly drank another glass of water. She wanted piglets because she needed to make broth with fresh pork bones for hot pot.
When eating hot pot, you must have meat. The meat of small-eared pigs is not very tender, and it may have a fishy taste when cooked in the broth.
She thought of the fish hot pot she used to eat, where both yellow croaker and blackfish could be sliced thinly and cooked in the broth.
There happened to be some live fish in the pond, so Jiang Xi decided to make fish the main course for tonight.
After breakfast, Du Ling was about to go into the woods with Yan Jing'an, but Jiang Xi stopped her before they set off.
Du Ling looked puzzled.
Jiang Xi whispered something mysteriously in her ear. Du Ling's eyes lit up immediately, and she quickly nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go with you."
Yan Jing'an, who was ahead, watched the two whispering for a while, and then saw Du Ling say she wanted to stay and keep Jiang Xi company. So he didn't wait for her, slung his basket over his shoulder, and went into the woods by himself.
Jiang Xi and Du Ling tidied up the yard a bit. Then they led the fawn out to the fields.
Du Ling skipped and hopped all the way: "Xiao Xi, it's amazing that they were born on the same day."
When Jiang Xi told her in the morning that it was Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an's birthday, Du Ling felt happy and excited.
She still has some childlike qualities; holidays and birthdays mean that they can cook delicious food together and play together.
Children's happiness is always so simple.
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